Stories & strategies for change leaders.

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Denise Withers

Denise Withers

Award-winning filmmaker & writer who's inspired millions to take action on issues from equity to the environment, through channels that include Discovery, CBC, NatGeo, SSIR, NFB and National Post.

Want to make change easier? Be more squirrel.

Want to make change easier? Be more squirrel.

During a coaching session the other day, a client who's in the middle of a major career transition told me she felt like a squirrel in mid-jump – cut off from the safety of the familiar tree she just left, hurtling through the air toward an uncertain landing pad, flailing her

How does your worldview affect your work?

How does your worldview affect your work?

It was a surprisingly emotional day. I was gathered with 25 colleagues in a room at the Canadian Museum of History with a spectacular view of the Ottawa River and Parliament – quintessential icons of colonialism. We were there to explore where our world views come from, how they influence our

Why internal motivation beats external rewards for change

Why internal motivation beats external rewards for change

Last week, I gave a talk to a group of 50 senior government execs about using stories to create a digital culture. Organizations of all sizes struggle with technology adoption, often suffering significant losses when they fail. During the conversation, the moderator of the session told a short story about

Insider tips to make change work

Insider tips to make change work

As part of my graduate research on how to design for engagement, I was lucky enough to spend two days with a team at the BMO Institute for Learning in Toronto - a pretty swank standalone facility dedicated to supporting change. In addition to testing out the new framework I'd

Make your presentation unforgettable with a simple story like this

Make your presentation unforgettable with a simple story like this

We only had 5 minutes left in our presentation coaching session when Qiang had the breakthrough I'd been hoping for. He worked in HR for a big organization and had to give an update on the progress they'd made toward their strategic goals for diversity, equity and inclusion. Qiang hadn't

Getting traction for new ideas inside government

Getting traction for new ideas inside government

Figuring out how to get buy-in for new ideas is a challenge we all face every day. But it can be especially tough when you work in the public sector. Nobody knows that better than Norm Connolly. As a long-time planner and sustainability leader, he's successfully launched new energy initiatives

Make everyday stories compelling

Make everyday stories compelling

It was the first time I'd ever seen someone bring popcorn to a Zoom presentation. And I have to say, it was kind of brilliant! Almost a dozen of us were gathered online for the penultimate class in the new grad course I designed and taught this summer on leading